FC Halifax Town v Bromley preview

Venue: The Shay

Date: Saturday, February 5

Kick-off: 3pm

Referee: Martin Woods. Took charge of Halifax’s 1-1 draw at Grimsby at the start of the year, and the 2-1 home defeat to Wrexham in November. Also officiated Bromley’s 2-2 draw at Chesterfield in September, a game in which he awarded Bromley a penalty. Has shown 28 yellow cards and two red cards in nine National League matches this season.

Odds: Halifax win evens, draw 9/4, Bromley win 9/4

Season so far

Halifax: P32, W19, D6, L7, F53, A31

Bromley: P29, W18, D5, L6, F47, A30

Last five games

Halifax: Grimsby (h) W 1-0, Alfreton (FAT a) D 1-1 (Halifax won 3-2 on penalties), Maidenhead (a) L 1-0, Boreham Wood (h) L 1-0, Dagenham and Redbridge (a) W 3-1

Bromley: Solihull (h) W 2-1, Aldershot (a) W 2-0, Grimsby (a) W 2-1, Woking (h) W 1-0, Notts County (h) W 1-0

Scorers

Halifax: Billy Waters (15), Jordan Slew (10), Matty Warburton (8), Kian Spence (4), Jack Vale (3), Tom Bradbury (3), Kieran Green (2), Jesse Debrah, Martin Woods, Niall Maher, Tyrell Warren, Elliot Newby, Luke Summerfield, Jamie Allen

Bromley: Michael Cheek (16), James Alabi (5), George Alexander (5), Corey Whitely (3), Jude Arthurs (3), Marcus Sablier (2), Chris Bush (2), Omar Sowunmi (2), Byron Webster (2), Billy Bingham, Jack Cawley, Scott Wagstaff, Finlay Lovatt, Joe Partington

Manager: Former goalkeeper Andy Woodman left his role as head of goalkeeping at Arsenal to replace Neil Smith at Bromley in March last year, and guided them into the play-offs with a seventh-placed finish, before losing to eventual winners Hartlepool. He recently turned down an offer to manage League One side Gillingham.

Last season: 7th in National League

One to watch: Top-scorer Michael Cheek has scored 15 goals in 25 league games this season, and scored home and away against Halifax last season as he finished the campaign with 23 league goals.

Match facts: Only Boreham Wood and Chesterfield have conceded fewer goals in the National League this season than Halifax (21).

Only Stockport have won more games in the division this season than both Halifax and Bromley (15).

Only Chesterfield’s Kabongo Tshimanga has scored more goals in the fifth tier so far this season than Bromley’s Michael Cheek (15).

Only Boreham Wood and Wrexham have conceded fewer home goals in the National League this season than Halifax (8).

Bromley have kept three clean sheets in their last four matches, and have won four of their last five away games.

Last time they met: The sides drew 0-0 at Hayes Lane at the end of October.

Follow all the action from the game on Saturday with our live blog on the Courier website, where there will also be an on-the-whistle match report and post-match reaction from Town boss Pete Wild.

Saturday’s National League fixtures:

Torquay v Wrexham

Notts Co v Grimsby

Yeovil v Solihull M

Aldershot v Barnet

Altrincham v Woking

Maidenhead v Eastleigh

Chesterfield v Dag & Red

Halifax v Bromley

Stockport v Dover

King’s Lynn v Weymouth